During last night’s debate, I was really looking forward to hearing Clinton and Trump’s thoughts on education. The whole of education too, not just college. But, as usual, there wasn’t much discussion at all. And college — more specifically, college loan debt — was the only subject that received even remotelysubstantive (if you can call it that) attention.
Ah well. 2020, I guess…
At any rate, I’m genuinely curious about hearing all arguments on this proposal of free college tuition. As someone who, ten years post-graduation, still pays a monthly loan bill, I’m intimately aware of the problematic nature of our current system. The price tag for a bachelor’s degree is ludicrous on its face.
When former Texas Governor, Rick Perry, famously exhorted the public universities of Texas to come up with a Bachelor’s degree that would only cost $10,000, I thought he meant 10k per year. That would have been a steal compared to the private university I had attended. He hadn’t meant that – he meant ten grand in toto. (Perry’s dream remains just that, FYI.)
We can probably all agree that yoking 22-year-olds to six-figure debt loads is a bad idea. Okay, check.
But is free public school tuition the solution?
My first qualm is that this is morally questionable. Because not everyone wants, needs, or can attend college. There are loads of careers (entrepreneurship amongst them) that do not require a 4-year degree. Additionally, there are millions of 18-year-olds who simply do not want to attend college, or feel it’s not the right place for them.
Yet if we make tuition “free,” it’s not really that at all. It means the government will fund it. And that means it will be paid for through taxes.
And that means millions of Americans who will not personally benefit from their own college diplomas will pay for the increased salaries of their smarter/more privileged/more motivated/just plain luckier/etc. peers.
I do not like that. I really don’t.
Additionally, behavioral studies seem to consistently prove that we don’t highly value things that are free. We value things that we work for, that cost us something.
And if there’s not price tag to school, there’s less incentive to graduate in a timely fashion.
Also, huge institutions that the government runs/funds (the V.A. comes to mind..) do not always run very well. They are not economically efficient, and their customers are often unhappy (at best).
But! I recognize that my opinions here are one-sided. So I’m hoping to open a dialogue with several people more knowledgable than myself, on both sides of this debate, to bring a full argument for and against free public university tuition for all.
Stay tuned. And by all means, add your thoughts in the comments section! (I read and appreciate them.)
Here’s a thought or two . A friend of ours put his 6 kids through college BUT there were conditions The kids themselves had to pay for the first 2 years and IF they followed through, then he paid for the rest. The kids had to be vested and committed. Many students drop out in the first coupe of years
Another thought, a requirement to hold a higher grade point average?
Nonetheless, as you said, there is no “free” education.
There are already ways to cut costs, but people don’t explore them. Some people go to community college where it’s cheaper and then transfer in. I overloaded as a student. We could take 3 – 5 classes and pay the same tuition and be considered full time. I took 5 classes and got about a year free tuition. Some people would have taken 3 and paid for an extra year. I understand people wanting the college experiences they reduce their course load, but I don’t understand why the tax payer should have to pay for it. A friend of mine… Read more »
Personally, I would love to see a system that makes higher education more affordable across the board. A 4 year degree at a state university should be free for anyone who is coming from a home at the poverty level or below and they can graduate on time with at least a 2.5 GPA. Reward the people that put in the work. Don’t make it free for kids that go to school, spend too much time partying and flunk out with a 0.5 GPA. Also, have a system that gives huge incentives for people that become teachers and go to… Read more »